For more than 20 years, The Law Offices of Blaine Barrilleaux has dedicated their legal expertise to acting as Metairie’s dependable team of personal injury lawyers and car accident lawyers. As an accident victim, you may have important legal rights that must be protected. We are fully dedicated to providing you with the legal representation that you need so that you can get the compensation you deserve. If you’ve been hurt, call us right away at 504-218-4419 to schedule your first consultation.
How Is Personal Injury Defined in Metairie, Louisiana?
In Metairie, personal injury, including car accidents, is defined by four elements. Those four elements make up a legal concept that’s required for you to have a successful legal claim. That concept is known as negligence or fault. The four elements are:
- A legal duty must exist. For example, all drivers have a legal duty to devote their full time and attention to the road.
- The legal duty must be breached. The most common form of distracted driving is using a cell phone while driving a car. This breaches the duty that a driver has to pay full attention to the road.
- The breach of duty must be the cause of the accident. For example, if the driver was staring at their cell phone, ran a red light, and plowed into the side of your car, while you were lawfully in the intersection, the breach of duty is the cause of the accident. This is often called the but-for test. But-for the driver of the other car being on their cell phone, they wouldn’t have ran the red light and hit your car.
- There must be damages. Common damages in personal injury cases include but are not limited to: property damage, physical injuries, pain and suffering, and loss of wages. This is a list of the most commonly awarded damages. However, damages are considered on a case-by-case basis. If you’re hurt in Metairie, Louisiana or surrounding areas, immediately contact an experienced personal injury lawyer or car accident lawyer.
Protecting Your Potential Legal Claim
No one leaves their home planning to be an accident victim. Unfortunately, it happens. Most car accidents happen within 20 minutes of your home. Slip and falls are more common than you’d think, too. Then, of course, there are on-the-job injuries. Being unable to work and dealing with unexpected medical bills can put you in a serious financial bind. To protect your potential legal claim as a Metairie accident victim:
- Get a report made that documents the accident. If you’re involved in a car accident, call the police. The police will come to the scene and make a report. If you’re hurt on someone’s property, alert the property owner or manager about the accident and ask for an accident report. If you’re hurt on the job, tell your supervisor right away and complete a report. Make sure that you get a report number so that you can get a copy of the report to provide to the insurance company and your lawyer.
- If you have a medical emergency, call 911.
- Do what you can to document the accident scene. One of the best ways to do this is to use your smartphone and take photos. You could take photos of what caused the accident, such as a wet floor without warning signs, broken sidewalk, or a dangerous work condition. If you’re in a car accident you should take photos of the vehicles involved. You should also take photos of the condition of the street where the accident happened. Finally, make sure that you take photos of your injuries.
- Get medical care. Regardless of the cause of the accident, get medical care. Go and see your personal doctor or to an urgent care clinic to make sure that you’re not seriously hurt. Minor injuries can get worse if they’re left untreated. It could take hours before you realize that you’re hurt because of the adrenaline from the accident.
- Call an experienced personal injury lawyer or car accident lawyer. Don’t wait to call a lawyer. Under Louisiana law, you only have one year from the date of the accident to file your claim. A lawyer has one job: looking out for what’s in your best interest.
Metairie’s Trusted Personal Injury & Car Accident Lawyers
The Law Offices of Blaine Barrilleaux represent injury victims who were hurt because of:
- Car accidents
- 18-wheeler accidents
- Maritime or offshore accidents
- On-the-job accidents (commonly referred to as workers’ compensation claims)
- Medical malpractice
- Wrongful death
- Slip and fall accidents (and other injuries that fall under a legal area known as premises liability)
- Dog bite injuries
We are Metairie, Louisiana’s trusted personal injury and car accident lawyers. We’ve represented accident victims and their families for more than 20 years. We’ll fight for you and help you get the legal compensation that you deserve for your injuries.
What’s the Cost?
Rightfully, many accident victims and their family members are concerned about the potential cost of filing a claim. The Law Offices of Blaine Barrilleaux understand that the injuries you suffered could mean that you’re unable to work or that you have unexpected bills piling up. We want to keep legal access affordable. We work on a contingency fee basis. That means you pay nothing up front. Our office is only paid if we successfully settle or litigate your claim.
Schedule Your Initial Consultation in Our Metairie Office
With an office conveniently located in Metairie, personal injury victims are invited to call us today at 504-218-4419 to schedule an initial consultation. We’ll evaluate your potential claim and let you know about your legal options. Don’t wait. Contact us today.